Category Archives: Black Lives Matter

Nadine Seiler poses with a piece of artwork that was once displayed on the Black Lives Matter fence near the White House. Seiler is working to find new homes for the 700-plus artifacts left by protesters. Jonathan Franklin/NPR hide caption

Nadine Seiler poses with a piece of artwork that was once displayed on the Black Lives Matter fence near the White House. Seiler is working to find new homes for the 700-plus artifacts left by protesters.

Nadine Seiler has an activist spirit very "noisy," she says, but always "in the crowd."

"I'm the voice that you hear that you don't know where it's coming from," Seiler says.

The Waldorf, Md., resident is stepping forward this time as one of several people preserving protesters' artwork from the Black Lives Matter memorial fence that stood between protesters and the White House. The displays bore the faces and names of Black people who died from police violence.

As authorities took down the fence earlier this year, Seiler made it her mission to preserve every artifact that she could knowing that each sign represents a part of the nation's history.

Seiler is working with fellow protester Karen Irwin from New York to find new homes for what Seiler estimates are more than 700 items.

Signs on the fence surrounding the White House during the 2020 Presidential election. The fence, which came down in January 2021, once served as home to nearly 700+ signs and artwork during the course of the racial protests in D.C. following George Floyd's murder. Probal Rashid/LightRocket via Getty Images hide caption

Signs on the fence surrounding the White House during the 2020 Presidential election. The fence, which came down in January 2021, once served as home to nearly 700+ signs and artwork during the course of the racial protests in D.C. following George Floyd's murder.

Protesters came to Lafayette Square Park next to the White House following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 and federal authorities quickly put up metal barricades to block off various entrances to the site.

The fencing went up Jun. 4, 2020, and came down on Jan. 30, 2021.

Seiler and others had spent long hours at the fence on what is now called Black Lives Matter Plaza.

"Whether it was going to rain, snow or ice, we lived at the fence," Seiler says. "There was somebody on that fence or within a few feet of the fence, wherever the police pushed us."

Signs on the fence surrounding the White House on Nov. 4, 2020. The majority of the artwork featured on the fence will be preserved in an archive in partnership with Baltimore's Enoch Pratt Free Library. Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption

Signs on the fence surrounding the White House on Nov. 4, 2020. The majority of the artwork featured on the fence will be preserved in an archive in partnership with Baltimore's Enoch Pratt Free Library.

As the group stood guard, the artwork on the memorial became a symbol for the movement, a place where people stopped and took pictures, honoring what the fence and its signs stood for.

The drive to save the artwork was inspired on Oct. 26, when demonstrators saw counterprotesters tearing down the signs displayed on the fence.

"Because people would come by and vandalize this stuff, part of me felt disrespected," Seiler says. "I made sure the stuff wasn't going to get torn down."

Seiler made it her mission to pick up and save as many signs as she could.

Thanks to her and others, the artwork is being housed in a storage unit as it waits to be scanned by archivists at Baltimore's Enoch Pratt Free Library, a joint project with the D.C. Public Library.

"The collection serves as part of the record of one of the most important social justice movements of our time," says Jodi Hoover of Enoch Pratt Library.

Hoover, who serves as the library's digital resources manager, tells NPR that preserving and documenting historical events in real-time is not only incredibly important but is also a rare opportunity.

A steel fence at Lafayette Park was turned into a makeshift memorial after DC Mayor Muriel Bowser renamed that section of 16th street "Black Lives Matter Plaza" near the White House in June 2020. The artwork that was once displayed on the fence is currently being digitally archived for a future visual collection. Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images hide caption

A steel fence at Lafayette Park was turned into a makeshift memorial after DC Mayor Muriel Bowser renamed that section of 16th street "Black Lives Matter Plaza" near the White House in June 2020. The artwork that was once displayed on the fence is currently being digitally archived for a future visual collection.

"By working collaboratively we are able to preserve and provide access to this collection for years to come. It is my hope that it will be of use now and in the future," she says.

The signs are being driven to Baltimore by Seiler in batches of 100 and nearly 300 signs have already been digitally archived.

But according to Seiler, four more batches are still left to be scanned.

"I don't expect this process to be over before the end of 2021, given it takes six to eight weeks to scan a batch," she says.

Once the items have all been scanned, Seiler says the gifting process for the artwork will then begin.

Ideally, she says organizers with the D.C. chapter of Black Lives Matter would like for the pieces to stay in the hands of Black organizations but mentions that wherever the pieces may land, she hopes people would recognize their worth and the messages behind them.

"I don't know what it's going to take, but whoever takes some has to agree to care for them," Seiler says.

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Nadine Seiler Black Lives Matter Fence Preserving ...

MUNCIE, In. (WISH) Muncie Central High School announced a third e-learning day in a row after nearly 300 students protested Monday in response to Black Lives Matter signs being taken down by the schools security officers.

Our teacher was pulled from our classroom by the school security officers at the school and had been told that they did not agree [and] that our claims are false, Quinnith Bouton, a Muncie Central High School student, said.

Bouton gave I-Team 8 the video she took showing the moment security officers discussed their issues with the Black Lives Matter posters on lockers, which Bouton says was part of an English project. Bouton says the signs were taken down after Attorney General Todd Rokita suggested schools limit Black Lives Matter posters, calling BLM an unequivocally political organization.

[Students] felt that the school officers had a racial bias. And so that in itself made them feel unsafe. I think there is a lack of education in the sense of people of color in general. And I believe that it is appropriate to discuss these topics as it affects many of us every day in their everyday lives, Bouton said.

Bouton says students are planning on writing to the attorney general and are demanding a personal apology from the security officers involved.

Muncie Community Schools says while they will be remote on Thursday, they will be back to in-person learning on Friday. The following statement was sent to parents by the school:

Dear Students, Families and Friends,

As you know, a group of students led a peaceful protest at school on Monday stemming from some posters that were displayed in a hallway last week. This was an opportunity for them to have their voice heard on a number of different issues. School and district officials were able to hear their concerns and have a constructive conversation.

It is our intent to have students feel secure and respected when they are at school. This means every student, not just those who feel aggrieved or are passionate about a particular issue. Moreover, in order for our educational mission and responsibilities to be met, prolonged disruptions need to be limited. As such, we are working to balance the educational needs and responsibilities of all of our students with the concerns raised by those who were protesting on Monday.

As we strike this balance, MCS realizes the importance of addressing the concerns brought to light by the events of the past several days and commits to do the following:

With regard to our return to in-person instruction, in order to ensure school safety for all and to permit the educational process to move forward, there will be no more in-school protests allowed. However, the Muncie Human Rights Commission has organized a peaceful protest to take place after school on November 23. Protestors will march to City Hall and back to Centrals football field. Once we return to in-person schooling, if students decide to protest in a disruptive manner when they should be in class, they will face appropriate disciplinary action.

MCS has worked hard to be an inclusive school system where everyone is valued and respected, and we plan to keep it that way. Thank you for your support!

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Muncie Central High School to have third e-learning day after student-led Black Lives Matter protests - WISHTV.com

Black and Missing is a real-life based documentary series that is all set for its premiere on November 23, 2021. The series is directed by Geeta Gambhir, who has won several Emmy awards alongside Soledad OBrien, who is a notable author, journalist, activist, and documentarian.

The series focuses on Derrica and Natalie Wilson. They are the founders of the Black and Missing Organization that fights against the marginalization that Black missing person cases face in the media and law enforcement. The series intends to bring out the harsh realities that the Black people have to undergo due to prevalent racism in the system and society.

The four-part documentary series Black and Missing focuses on the marginalization and oppression that the Blacks undergo at the hands of an exploitative system and a less inclusive society. Directed by Soledad O Brien and Geeta Gambhir, the documentary focuses on Derrica and Natalie Wilson. They are the founders of the Black and Missing Organization that fights against the marginalization that Black missing person cases face in the media and law enforcement.

Over 200,000 Black people went missing in 2020; however, these cases take four times longer to get resolved, and there is a bias in the media as well as it becomes well ignorant in reporting these cases. The series targets and focuses on what is known as the Missing White Woman Syndrome that has well exposed a system that doesnt really care if black lives actually matter.

Black and Missing documents Wilsons desperate effort to make grounds for providing the missing Black people and their families the due share of reporting and investigation by calling out the normalization of such discrepancies. The missing Black people are often categorized as being trafficked, runaways or even worse, dead and hence are never prioritized by the system.

Black and Missing brings out how the Black women are the least protected and dont even exist or the system. The series aims to provide a multi-dimension perspective on Black lives through Black and Missing and create a sense of awareness by exposing the harsh reality of an ignorant system. The series is a definite must-watch for being brutally true.

Black and Missing is a real-life based documentary series that will be premiered on November 23, 2021. The documentary will be released in four parts on HBO and HBO MAX on the specified date. Black and Missing is available exclusively on HBO and HBO MAX as of now.

Black and Missing have been in the making for about 3 years before its final release. The series focuses on the marginalization and oppression that the Blacks undergo at the hands of an exploitative system and a less inclusive society. Whether a sequel is planned or not is not confirmed yet by the makers but there is definitely a need for such shows that depicts the reality of the society one lives in.

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HBO's Black And Missing Review: It Confronts A System That Doesn't Believe That Black Lives Matter - Gizmo Story

Voiceover provided by T'Keyah Thomas.

As the nation watches the trials of Kyle Rittenhouse and Gregory and Travis McMichael this month the summer of 2020 comes back to mind.

During that summer, Columbia residents took to the streets amid the ongoing pandemic to protest the continued mistreatment of Black Americans and bring awareness to the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many others.

Among those demonstrating was Black Lives Matter organizer Christopher Watkins, Jr, whos lived in Columbia for years and helped organize many events that summer. He said while the work of improving life in American for Black people has been going on for years, something was different.

Rebecca Smith

I think it changed because now people are really aware. I think cell phones and social media are so important, Watkins said. Because now we get to see these things. But it really just opened people's eyes really to say, this is why there is a black lives matter movement.

He said that the public should just know that it doesn't stop at a protest.

Since the summer of 2020, hes been to city council meetings and police review boards. He said that now more than a year and a half after George Floyds death, the Columbia community and its government have made some progress in understanding the needs of Black residents.

Just being able to have those individuals in their respective offices come out and help and understand the frustration we have with whats been going on in our nation. I believe, within a year, we've made some change, he said. Were still striving and striving for more change, especially here in the Columbia community.

But he added that change takes time and not everything can be fixed in a year.

Students at the University of Missouri also joined in that summer. According to the Columbia Missourian, in June 2020 the Missouri Black Student-Athlete Association held a March for Mizzou that around 800 people attended.

And police brutality wasnt the only issue impacting Black MU students at the time. Roman Leapheart, a Black MU student, created a petition to remove the statue of Thomas Jefferson from the Francis Quadrangle which garnered nearly 4,000 signatures.

The petition stated: Mizzou has no room for a racist slave owner on our campus, in the Quad, where thousands of Black students pass by every day, forced to deal with imagery of the past in the future where we should be promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.

The statue ended up being vandalized with five words Say her name Sally Hemings spray painted on the ground next to it.

Rebecca Smith

Caleb Sewell is a senior at Mizzou and the President of the Legion of Black Collegians, the Black student government at Mizzou.

He said that years ago, he wrote an op-ed article for the ManEater, MUs student-run paper, entitled "Column: MU hasnt done enough since 2015."

In this article, he wrote about how the campus still hadnt met all the demands of Concerned Student 1950, whose protests in 2015 led to the resignations of multiple system leaders.

In that piece, he wrote that it was important for Black students to have Black faculty to feel supported and comfortable on campus.

Which meant he was even more frustrated when Dr. Ashley Woodson was denied tenure that same summer. Woodson was an assistant professor in Education, whose research focused on Black history.

Caleb Sewell, President of the Legion of Black Collegians

We see this lack of value when it comes to Black folks in higher education, Sewell said.

When it comes to not valuing Black people in these spaces, not valuing Black research, not valuing professors and people," he said. "Not valuing the work that people bring to the table when it comes to making institutions more equitable itself, and the country more equitable."

The denial of Dr. Woodsons tenure prompted another change.org petition, which gathered nearly 16,000 signatures. Sewell added that in many ways things still havent changed, and his article still rings true.

Oftentimes, when we talk about systemic racism, when we talk about change in general, especially in the social justice realm, we see things that change performatively, Sewell said.

The system itself hasn't changed, and so the system itself has perpetuated the same type of individuals who contribute to the harm being done," he said. "And that's causing that same harm for many of us. Students, faculty and staff in the Columbia community at large"

Dr. Woodson has since left MU, and just a few months ago in June of 2021, the Board of Curators rejected a proposal to have a sign posted to contextualize Thomas Jeffersons statute and legacy.

Which, Sewell said, shows theres still a lot of work to be done.

Believe Black voices, believe marginalized voices, believe people who are speaking out against these things, Sewell said. The first step you have to believe it, and then you have to go in and be part of it [the change].

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A year and a half later, some local activists reflect on the protests of summer 2020 - KBIA

Jerry Edwards, aka as Genius Black. Photo byEmily Sawchuck.

In the summer of 2020, in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, Edwards and his daughter took to the streets to add their voices to the protests in his home city of Portland, Maine.

But not everyone could go outside and participate in the communal rejection of entrenched racism and police brutality in our country. Edwards's friend Rose Barboza, who also lives in southern Maine, was uneasy about protesting because her young son has asthma and she wanted to protect him from COVID.

Barboza approached Edwards to talk about other ways she could support the Black Lives Matter movement. One idea the marketing professional had was to create an e-commerce site. "I'm going to start a directory of all the Black-owned businesses in Maine," she told Edwards.

According to the 2020 census, Maine's Black and African American population is about 1.6 percent. Nonetheless, they are running businessesin every part of the state, from southern Maine to far-north Aroostook County, and from the Downeast coast to the western foothills.

Edwards immediately knew Barboza's idea had legs. It reminded him of stories he'd heard when Steve Jobs first introduced the concept for Apple products (Black worked for Apple in Maine for nearly twelve years). "For a moment all the air gets sucked out of the room," when an idea lands just right, he said.

Two sleepless days later, Barboza published the directory with sixty businesses. The only criteria is that a venture be at least 50 percent Black-owned, and the list includes every kind of enterprisefrom auto repair shops to health care providers, outdoor organizations, and creative services.

News of the site spread quickly online. Reporters started calling for interviews. More businesses were added (today it has more than 350 listings).

As he watched the site take off, the clicks accumulate, and followers grow on social media, Edwards marveled at the response. "I had never witnessed anything like this in my life," he said. "There was such a void. You had a group of Americans that were lit up collectively in a way they had never been before."

One reason Black Owned Maine has been successful is that it has provided peopleof all races and backgroundswith another outlet for protesting, another way to support their neighbors, friends, and fellow Mainers. "You had all these people in Maine who didn't care about arguing, who didn't want to go to a protest, but who wanted to support Black people," Edwards said. "When they looked up and saw Black Owned Maine existed, it was a void filled. We made a thing that exploded because it needed to. It exploded because there was an empty space in the universe."

Today, Black Owned Maine has grown beyond the initial directory of companies and organizations.Over the past year, Barboza and Edwards have expanded the initiative to fulfill their vision of it being a comprehensive resource for entrepreneursand start-ups in the state. With help from the nonprofit arts agency Creative Portland, BOM receives tax-deductible donations for Black business support and family relief.This summer, with Krystal Williams's consulting agency Providentia Group, BOM offered a pilot business incubator and mentoring program for twenty participants. They've hired their first staff member, Winston Antoine 16.

Barboza and Edwards have also launched a for-profit arm called Black Owned ME Media that providesmarketing and audio branding services, including podcast production and theme music compositionEdwards's specialty.He coproduces and hosts the Black Owned Maine Podcast, or BOMP, which has helped get the word out about Black Owned Maine.

"A lot of our work has been in partnerships and collaborations," he said, including with state agencies like the Maine Technology Institute, Maine Economic and Community Development, the City of Portland, and other organizations. BOM is also part of a large state application for federal funding from the Small Business Administration. "We're getting baked into the fabric of the state."

From Texas to Maine (and how Jerry Edwards became Genius Black)

Edwards runs his own audio engineering and music production businesses in Portland, and is raising two children, aged seventeen and fourteen.

He was born in Dallas, Texas, and grew up in Grand Prairie, which is actually where he was first dubbed with the nickname Genius. "Where we lived in section eight housing, I was known as a kid who could help with stuff, who could problem-solve. One time the homies had been given a computer, and Miss Tweet, the grandmother of Patrick Sneed, one of our friends, she said 'Go get Genius, he can help with it.'"

In his neighborhood and at his school, the name stuck. And when he started rapping at age fifteen, he decided Genius made a good stage name. It wasn't until he was at Bowdoin that he added Black. "Being an Africana studies major, starting to understand power structures, I added to the moniker. I thinkblack as a color is powerful. Black thinking, Black art, Black culture, Black peopleit made sense for me to round out my name in that way."

The fact that Edwards ended up at Bowdoin at all could be attributed to an act of divine intervention. A talented, high-achieving high school student-athlete, he was courted by universities across the country.

But he wasn't interested. He asked his mother to keep all of the glossy pamphlets out of sight because he had his heart set on attending just one of four big universities: University of Miami, University of Texas at Austin, Syracuse University, or Tulane University.

He got into each one, and they each awarded him a financial aid packagebut none provided a full ride, which discouraged him. He returned home one day after sports practice, and his mom handed him a thin unopened envelope.

"Mama said, 'God told me to give you this,'" he recalled. "And it said Bawh-Doyne, Bow-Din," he purposefully mispronounced the name. Henor anyone else he knew in Texashad ever heard of the school, let alone knew how to say it right. But inside that envelope, the College was promising to fly him to campus forExplore Bowdoin, a program for prospective low-income or first-generation college students.

He had never been on an airplane. He had only been on a handful of vacations. Going to Maine would get him out of class for a couple of days. And he felt touched that the school saw something special in him.

So he came to campus for a weekend in the spring. "I loved the intellectual stimulation," he remembered. "We had really great conversations over meals, people lingered and connected. I said, 'Damn, these are the people I want to be around, and if theyre here I want to be here.'"

At Bowdoin, Edwards majored in Africana studies and minored in English, and excelled in his theater classes. He did two independent studies with Anthony Walton, senior writer-in-residence, which he called "life changing." "He put life lessons into what we were talking about. It was not light, it was heavy. He squeezed some amazing writing out of me."

As he approached graduation, he began considering his next steps, such as attending law school or moving out of Maine. But then he and his girlfriend learned they were expecting a baby. Taking care of an infant and attending classes was not easy, but Edwards said the College was supportive and provided him with family-friendly housing. And despite being an exhausted dad of a newborn, he earned his highest grades his senior year.

Though he and his children's mom are no longer together, he has stayed in Maine to help raise his daughter and son close to their mother's extended family.

And after all this time here, he speaks like a proud Mainer now. "Unlike a lot of Black folks, and a lot of people I went to Bowdoin with, I am not trying to leave here. To make the life I want to live, and to be an activist and to work and create the life I want, I do not need to leave Maine."

Referring to his friendship with Barboza, who is of mixed ancestry, he said, "Our experience of maybe not being the norm of who you see as leaders in Maine, we decided we don't need to run away from that. Instead, we know we can make a difference here."

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The Genius of Black Owned Maine - Bowdoin News

The head of a national police action plan on race has said she has never personally seen an officer been racist.

Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner Amanda Pearson said she couldnt readily think of an example of racism in the force, which saw an officer convicted of joining a neo-Nazi terrorist group this year.

She is leading a plan of action on inclusion and race announced by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) after the murder of George Floyd in the US sparked huge Black Lives Matter protests in Britain.

Speaking at a NPCC conference in Westminster on Friday, Ms Pearson was pressed on whether she had witnessed any incident involving colleagues being racist throughout her career.

Im being honest and saying I havent seen that, she said. Clearly there are incidents of racism that are happening in policing, all Im saying is that I havent personally seen them.

Ms Pearson said she was not suggesting that racism doesnt exist among officers, adding: We know there are individual acts of racism conducted by officers, weve seen officers dismissed from service for racist behaviour and I wouldn't deny there are disparities within policing.

An anonymous member of the audience, which included senior officers and police and crime commissioners from across the country, asked how an action plan on race could be led by someone who has never seen an act of racism in their entire career.

Ms Pearson replied: I dont profess to have the lived experience some of my colleagues will have had in policing but I think its beholden on all of us to actively pursue creating a police service that can be truly anti-racist.

She later said she had noticed that senior black and ethnic minority officers were not being given the same level of support that a white officer would have.

The action plan was announced in June 2020 but the conference was told that it was still in draft form and would not be released this year.

People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Parliament Square, London, in memory of George Floyd who was killed on May 25 while in police custody in the US city of Minneapolis

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A girl wears a face mask during a Black Lives Matter rally in Parliament Square

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People are seen by a mural of George Floyd who died in police custody in Minneapolis, Stevenson Square, Manchester

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People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Manchester Piccadilly Gardens

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Children pose for their family in front of discarded placards fixed on a wall in Piccadilly Gardens after a Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Manchester

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People shout slogans during a Black Lives Matter rally in Parliament Square

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Demonstrators in Leicester

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A demonstrator holds up a placard during a Black Lives Matter protest in Parliament Square

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A demonstrator gestures during a Black Lives Matter protest in Manchester

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A mounted police officer raises their baton as police horses ride along Whitehall, past the entrance to Downing Street, in an attempt to disperse protestors gathered in central London

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People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Bute Park, Cardiff

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People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally march on Vauxhall Bridge Road, London

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Protesters hold up signs as they march along a road during a peaceful Black Lives Matter march in Aylesbury

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People climbing on top of the Queen Victoria Statue as they take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Manchester Piccadilly Gardens

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Children pose for a photo during a Black Lives Matter protest at Parliament Square

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Demonstrators hold placards as they attend a protest march to the US Embassy in London

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Protesters demonstrate near the the US Embassy in Nine Elms in London

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Protesters in Whitehall following a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Parliament Square

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Demonstrators wearing protective face masks and face coverings hold placards during a Black Lives Matter protest in Leicester

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A demonstrator is seen during a Black Lives Matter protest in Parliament Square

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Demonstrators are seen as police officers look on during a Black Lives Matter protest near Downing street in London

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Demonstrators are seen wth police liaison officers during a Black Lives Matter protest in Luton

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A protest at Parliament Square in London

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A demonstrator in Leicester

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People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Parliament Square

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Demonstrators wearing protective face masks and face coverings hold placards during a Black Lives Matter protest in Leicester

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Demonstrators block traffic outside Victoria Station

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People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Custom House Square, Belfast

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Police on horseback in Whitehall following a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Parliament Square, London

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Protesters hold placards as they attend a demonstration in Parliament Square

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Demonstrators throw flares above a police line during a Black Lives Matter march in London

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People climbing on top of the Queen Victoria Statue as they take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Manchester Piccadilly Gardens

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Demonstrators raise their hands facing police officers after scuffles during a Black Lives Matter march in London

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People are seen placing placards on a fence in London

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A demonstrator is seen with a protective face mask during a Black Lives Matter protest in Watford

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A sign alternatively naming Wilson Street 'Rosa Parks Street' in Glasgow. Activists have put up names of black people and civil rights activists throughout history alongside street names around the Scottish centre as part of the ongoing worldwide demonstrations following the death of George Floyd

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Boxer Anthony Joshua is seen with demonstrators during a Black Lives Matter protest in Watford

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Demonstrators gather outside Downing Street

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Demonstrators kneel facing police officers after scuffles during a Black Lives Matter march in London

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Demonstrators lay on the pavement during a Black Lives Matter rally at Trafalgar Square

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A protester stands on bus stop and raises their hand during a Black Lives Matter protest at Parliament Square

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Protesters holding placards gather in Manchester

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A man gestures during a Black Lives Matter march in in London

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Girls hold placards in London

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A demonstrator in Parliament Square

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Head of police action plan on race has never seen an officer being racist - The Independent

This is a rush transcript of "Ingraham Angle" on November 11, 2021. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS HOST: And that's why we should all take a moment to always honor the heroism, the commitment that make this country safe and secure. Thank you to all of you who serve.

Let not your heart be troubled. Hey, Laura.

LAURA INGRAHAM, FOX NEWS HOST: Well said. Sacrifice and selflessness, we need more of that all the way around in the United States.

HANNITY: Amen.

INGRAHAM: And the vets are the perfect example of that. I'll be talking to a Iwo Jima vet, Sean.

HANNITY: Oh, really? I will be watching for sure. By the way, you did a great interview with the family spokesperson last night. I was riveted to it.

INGRAHAM: Oh, now I saw Kyle's mom. I was like almost in tears. It was really moving. But we'll try to pick it up where you left off.

HANNITY: Well, you're a lawyer. You bring a lot to the table on this. I don't see a guilty verdict. I don't think they have made the case.

INGRAHAM: No way. Sean, awesome show. And we will see you tomorrow night.

HANNITY: I'll be watching.

INGRAHAM: All right. I'm Laura Ingraham. This is THE INGRAHAM ANGLE from Washington.

Now, when you look closely at where inflation is hurting Americans most, it might not come as a surprise that Joe Biden is initially brushing it off for a reason. Jim Jordan and J.D. Vance react.

And how the Kyle Rittenhouse trial and the January 6 aftermath outs the Democrats as the new authoritarians. Our own Tucker Carlson is here tonight to explain that.

But first, racial extortionist ride again. That's the focus of tonight's 'Angle'.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The brilliance and the impact of Black Lives Matter. History is going to show -- was an inflection point. Black Lives Matter has been the most significant agent for change within the criminal justice system.

BILL DE BLASIO, NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: The hopeful positive message of Black Lives Matter is a positive forward looking message of righting a wrong and creating a true respect for people's value.

BARACK OBAMA, 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: To the young people who led us this summer, telling us we need to be better. You are this country's dreams fulfilled.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

INGRAHAM: Now, at the time the 'Angle' warned that their alliance with the BLM radicals was bound to backfire given the agenda.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

INGRAHAM: It has nothing to do with racial justice. This is about raw power. And politicians in blue states, they've decided that the riots are helping them politically. The unspoken offer that I think Democrats are making the voters this November is the following: Vote Trump out of office, and we'll put an end to this.

But I'm telling you, if you reward this, you're going to get a lot more not a lot less of it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

INGRAHAM: Well, of course, the Democrats didn't listen and the rioters, the looters, the criminals, all learned the wrong lesson that Democrats would fold to their demands to avoid more chaos and threats of violence. So, zero consequences for criminality in other words. So that's why it made perfect sense that BLM thugs in New York City have already tried to intimidate and threaten newly-elected mayor Eric Adams.

Now, public safety is one of his top priorities. He wants to reinstate plainclothes police officers to reduce gun violence. That's smart. And it would have the added benefit of saving black and brown lives. That's something you would think BLM cared about.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They think that they're going to go back to the old ways of policing, that we are going to take to the streets again. There will be riots, there will be fire, and there will be bloodshed. So there is no way that we are going to let some Gestapo come in here and haunt my people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

INGRAHAM: But this BLM radical wasn't done with his threats against Adams.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have people in city council who can create problems for him. We have people in the streets who can create problems for this administration by shutting it down. And make no mistake about it, I am not threatening anyone. I am just saying that as a natural response to aggressive oppression, people will react.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

INGRAHAM: Well, the message is clear and the threats are pretty close to attempted extortion, which generally is defined as an attempt through coercion or threats to obtain a benefit or outcome often involving money.

Now, my question is, has a single prominent Democrat come out to denounce these BLM comments? Not that I've seen. Their silence speaks volumes. And now, we see the same threatening demand dynamic is at play in the Kyle Rittenhouse case. The press is really busy stoking racial anger by purposely misrepresenting the facts of the murder trial.

Now, the prosecution's case is collapsing. We all know that. And instead of honestly analyzing the record, the media just blame racism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you want to know why critical race theory exists, then look no further, in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: White privilege on steroids.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A biased racist judge.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What does justice even mean in a system that was established to strip black people of their humanity, and has never really held white people accountable for murdering black people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

INGRAHAM: These people are incredibly irresponsible and dishonest, effectively excusing any unrest that follows a mistrial or acquittal. That's what they're doing. And what will that mean? That means more pain and suffering for the people of Kenosha. So more problems, not fewer for the minority community there as well.

Now, again, BLM, the journalists who support them, they don't care. They never cared. The Kenosha rioting that Rittenhouse stepped into was largely driven by the media outlets that refused to report the truth about Jacob Blake, the black man shot by the police.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Unarmed, a black man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As of the government, what happened to Mr. Blake is not a crime, that someone can be shot in the back seven times in front of their children all unarmed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like unarmed individuals who come in contact with law enforcement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

INGRAHAM: Preserving the anti-police narrative was more important than the truth to politicians and pundits alike, who chimed in to defend Blake. And even after Blake himself admitted to having a knife, the press just quietly corrected the record like the "Washington Post".

Did any of these people apologize to the people of Kenosha, who lost everything in the riots? No. Did any of them apologize to Ferguson, Missouri police officer Darren Wilson? No.

Remember, they destroyed his life in 2014, even after authorities found insufficient evidence to charge him with murder or manslaughter. That's because they lied about everything from hands up, don't shoot, to whether Michael Brown was the aggressor. So mobs rage, they looted across entire city blocks in Ferguson. Remember, the businesses, they were ruined. Some residents moved out, never returned.

And seven years after all that needless racial unrest, Ferguson has one of the highest crime rights -- rates in America. Who's that helping? According to the crime tracking website NeighborhoodScout, '"One's chances of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime here is one in 17".

Congratulations, Democrats. Coddling criminals and demonizing Police has predictably made America less safe and thugs more brazen. Now, because liberal politicians didn't suffer politically for backing the destructive BLM movement back in 2020, they may think that they can get away with it again. But that was before voters saw what defunding the police did to crime rates, that was before voters saw how critical race theory infiltrated their kids' classrooms.

Now, look at the vote in Minneapolis, people are just tired of this garbage. They want it to end. There is no negotiating with terrorists. And there's no placating anti-American Marxists who believe that it's better for a city to burn than it -- to continue with traditional policing, or quit a white teenager wrongly accused.

Will Democrats learn these obvious lessons before the midterms? If they had a strong leader, perhaps they could. But they don't, so they won't. And that's the 'Angle'.

All right. Joining me now is Larry Elder, host of 'The Larry Elder Show' and former California gubernatorial candidate. Larry, the left made a deal with the devil last summer. And now, it looks like they're trapped. Your reaction to the 'Angle' tonight.

LARRY ELDER, "THE LARRY ELDER SHOW" HOST: Well, they are trapped. And, Laura, the whole Black Lives Matter movement is based upon a lie and the lie is that the police are engaging in systemic racism. The police are using deadly force against blacks just because they're black. It is not true.

There have been study after study after study showing, if anything, the police are more reluctant, more hesitant to pull the trigger on a black suspect than a white suspect. The police kill more unarmed whites every year than they kill unarmed blacks, except when they kill an unarmed white, nobody cares.

And here's the consequence, the police accused of being systemically racist, pull back. Fewer traffic stops, few arrests, crime goes up. And as you pointed out, a disproportionate number of the victims of the crimes are black and brown people themselves. In New York, the population of black and brown people are roughly half the city. However, 95 percent of the victims and of the perps are black and brown.

So when the police pull back, the very people that Black Lives Matter claims that they care about are hurt the most. There's a black Harvard economist named Roland Fryer, in July of 2016, front page story in 'The New York Times'. He did a study, he just assumed that the police were engaging in deadly force against blacks just because they were black. He said the findings were the most surprising thing of his career.

Again, the police were more hesitant, more reluctant to pull the trigger on a black suspect than a white suspect. He did find, the police were slightly more likely to use nine deadly force. But in my opinion, that's because they didn't want to get to using deadly force. So again, people that are hurt by this lie are the very people that the black and brown -- people who are loving on black and brown, people with the left, claim they care about.

INGRAHAM: Now, New York City mayor-elect Eric Adams, as I mentioned, is not backing down amid all of these threats from the BLM types. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIC ADAMS, MAYOR-ELECT NEW YORK CITY: There's very few things that intimidate me. There's very few things that frighten and scare me. New Yorkers are not going to live in fear. And we're not going to be intimidated by anyone. This city is not going to be a city of riots, it's not going to be the city of burning. This is going to be a city where we're going to be safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

INGRAHAM: Larry, is he the right person to step up and take this on?

ELDER: I think so. But, Laura, it sort of doesn't matter. No matter what color you are, if you're black, and you're in a position of responsibility, and you do the right thing, somebody is going to accuse you of being a sellout.

I'm here in Los Angeles, and we elected a black female district attorney. And 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning, a Black Lives Matter activist showed up at her house, because they didn't like some positions she had taken. And now this woman has been replaced by George GascA3n, a George Soros soft on crime DA.

And out here in LA, crime has gone up, up 30 percent year-to-year. The city is 9 percent black, about 30 to 40 percent of the victims of the homicide are black people. Again, the very people that the people like that, who claim that they are backing black people, Black Lives Matter. These are the people that they claim that they care about. Those are the ones who are being disproportionately hurt.

By the way, virtually all of these shootings in depth, mostly all of them, Laura, could have been avoided if (inaudible) had the suspect comply. Comply, you won't die. And nobody wants to say that.

INGRAHAM: I mean, no one talks about the fact that the live from Ferguson, that destroyed Darren Wilson's life. I mean, I think he had to change his name and moves -- I mean, I don't know -- know what happened to him. But I mean, the lies just keep -- and the keep to this day being retold, the 'Hands up, don't shoot'.

All of that. They still have posters at various rallies, they still hold them up. So they are they are clinging to lies about facts, policing, specific events and specific shootings. And they just won't let them go, no matter what. I've never seen anything like this. This is true fanaticism, Larry.

ELDER: Yes. The lie, drive the narrative. They don't really care. Just like Donald Trump did not say, there are good Nazis and bad Nazis. He said. And I'm not talking about the white nationalists and the Neo Nazis, because they should be condemned totally. They don't care. The lie becomes the truth. It's pathetic.

INGRAHAM: Larry, it's great to see you tonight. Thanks so much for joining us.

And speaking of the Rittenhouse trial, things did not go well for the prosecution today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRUCE SCHROEDER, KENOSHA COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE: I'm a little bit challenged when you say -- is there something that I'm saying that drives the face that you're making? Go ahead. Say what you have to say.

THOMAS BINGER, PROSECUTOR IN THE RITTENHOUSE CASE: I have to say, Your Honor, yesterday I was the target of your ire for disregarding your orders.

SCHROEDER: I was talking yesterday about the Constitution of the United States, and how the Supreme Court has interpreted it for 50 years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

INGRAHAM: Joining me now is David Hancock, spokesman for Kyle Rittenhouse. David, now that's kind of a unusual strategy, accusing the judge of being grossly unfair. It looks like that backfired.

DAVID HANCOCK, KYLE RITTENHOUSE SPOKESPERSON: Yes. And that's just what this prosecutor has been doing this entire trial. It's offensive. And truly a total miscarriage of due process for Kyle. It's just terrible.

INGRAHAM: I know you saw the tweet from LeBron James last night. We're going to put it up on the screen. A lot of people have seen this, but I wanted to get your reaction to this. He responded by saying that, Kyle broke down in tears on the witness stand and that was the tweet he's responding to. He said, '"What tears? I didn't see one. Knock it off. That boy ate some lemon heads before walking into court." Had some laughing emojis there.

He's one of the most powerful richest athletes in the world. And he's attacking a teenager.

HANCOCK: Yes. I mean, he's attacking a 18-year-old boy, who was viciously attacked helping his community. I think LeBron James should focus a bit more on the Lakers and a little bit less on trying to get involved in these kinds of situations.

I talked to you about it before. That's just laughable. And I'm not going to be paying any attention to that anymore.

INGRAHAM: Now, Gaige Grosskreutz, who was shot by Rittenhouse after pointing his pistol at Kyle said this on CNN tonight about Kyle's testimony.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GAIGE GROSSKREUTZ, SURVIVED KENOSHA SHOOTING: I can't say that I was one particularly impressed, nor convinced. To me, it seemed like a child being upset because they were caught, not upset because of what they have done wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

INGRAHAM: David, your response to him?

HANCOCK: I'm impressed that he has the gall to go on a major news network and lie about what he said in court. Everybody saw the video and saw the images. That man pointed a loaded handgun at an 18-year-old kid who was in, quite possibly, the most vulnerable position ever on his butt. Come on. That's just discussing.

INGRAHAM: Now, Kyle's mom appeared with Sean Hannity earlier tonight. She's obviously incredibly emotional. I mean, one would expect nothing less about what's happened to her son. If you can, without violating any confidences, how are they getting through this? How have they gotten through this so far?

HANCOCK: They have a very strong support structure around them. They have the truth, they have the facts, they have the reality of what happened that night. And that's been coming out to America. So that's a pretty strong pillar they can lean on.

INGRAHAM: Would you, after watching what's happened at this trial, and what could happen still, I mean we don't know what ultimately will happen. Would you recommend that people get into these events, rallies, protests, to try to protect, or mix it up, or observe, or take video, given how things are distorted, and how situations can spiral out of control? Given what you've seen, would you recommend anyone you know to do what Kyle did?

HANCOCK: I would recommend from the sense of being an American that believes in the Constitution that anybody can protect their property. And if people want to be good, civic-minded individuals and go out into town and protect property and give first aid to people who might be injured, I would say go for it. Right? Go for it.

But I would also encourage the citizen, like journalists, to keep doing what they're doing. I mean, think about how this case would be if there wasn't hours of video from it.

INGRAHAM: You bet.

View original post here:

'Ingraham Angle' on Black Lives Matter, inflation - Fox News

Just about a year ago, global superstar Jennifer Lopez released two songs in tangent featuring Colombian singer Maluma. The songs, collectively referred to as Pa Ti + Lonely, are part of the soundtrack for the two celebs upcoming film Marry Me, due for release next year. The song Lonely contains a line that Lopez dialogues in Spanish: Yo siempre ser tu negrita del Bronx. It created a bit of firestorm in an already stuffy and heated racial climate, fueled by the conversations around racial justice, immigration, and identity that were already taking center stage.

For good reasons, too. The criticism against the lyrics were valid in many ways; and I say in many ways because some of it was, of course, just hateful for the sake of getting to tweet about it. It all centers on the perceived meaning of the word negrita within this context, perceived being the key word. Literally, the word translates as little Black girl. In other words, in a literal translation, what Lopez sings is: I will always be your little Black girl from the Bronx. The initial backlash was swift for obvious reasons. Its worth mentioning that it seems that those who first began calling Lopez out were other Latine people from the United States, who with even the most basic knowledge of Spanish, were able to quickly translate into English what the singer said.

But many also immediately came to Lopezs defense, explaining that the word negrita doesnt actually mean little Black girl in Spanish, but rather it is a word of endearment that would more accurately be translated as honey or sweetheart. Now, this is factually true. There were some who mentioned that negrita is a term of endearment for any light-skinned Black girls. But at least in Puerto Rico (where Lopez has roots) and in South America (where Maluma is from), the word negrita is a term of endearment used arbitrarily for any and every girl. The palest, blue-eyed blonde would be called negrita because within this cultural context, it just means honey.

But the root of the word negrita by its own merit is racialized, and thats also factually true. While contextually the word may be a term of endearment in modern use, its origin is still one mired in racist history, colonialism, and colorism; especially because the tone, social standing, and cultural context all play an important facet in how the word is perceived. And this truth is what sparked the biggest conversation around Latinidad, the anti-Black racism that is still prevalent in Latin America, and even who gets to claim Latinidad within the American framework.

Latinidad can be loosely translated as Latin-ness. Its a term thats been around since the mid-1980s as a way to speak about Latine communities specifically outside of Latin America, especially within the U.S. Its an umbrella term of sorts, meant to facilitate the conversation about Latine peoples, culture, language, belief systems, etc. as they are practiced in the U.S. But as any umbrella term, it has its limitation. Because Latinidad is generally viewed within its American context, its oftentimes exclusionary because of the limited outlook that America itself has of Latine people.

In other words, because Latinidad seeks to create a unified Latine experience in the U.S, it undoubtedly ends up painting a monolithic view of what its supposed to be like being Latine in America. It inevitable gets corrupted to fit the American narrative; in fact, more modern uses of the word opt for Latinidades to try to cover the plurality of Latine peoples. And to be sure, there are myriad commonalities and shared experiences in being Latine in the US; but because Latinidad is framed within the American experiment, it brings with it the racial connotations that are inescapable in the U.S. along with Latin Americas own ugly racial history. And so Latinidad comes to mean that youre a hard worker, you have an immigrant story, you have strong family values, your Spanglish is smooth and fluid, you call your mother every Saturday and go to church on Sundays, and you have that idolized Latine look of Ricky Martin or of, yes, Jennifer Lopez.

Thats why its important to talk about Latinidad when we talk about Lopezs negrita affair and the intersections of discrimination against minority groups. Because, for once and for better or worse, Lopez does have that romanticized Latine woman look the straight long auburn hair, the always perfectly-sun-kissed skin tone thats not too light but definitely not too dark either. We do have to tread carefully and be fair here, because the point is that there isnt a perfect Latine look, and that Lopez embodies what we epitomize as the model Latine face and body speaks more to our culture and society at large than anything else. But because nothing exists in a vacuum, this is irrevocably part of the issue, or at least it informs some of the backlash that the lyrics generated. Lopez has never identified as Black, using this term so blatantly caused some anger, be it for the apparent clout to use an identity that was in vogue or because of Lopezs historied misuse of Black culture. And while the meaning of the word negrita within this cultural context is relevant, it too is relevant to the actual roots and real definition of the word.

Slavery and racism in Latin America has a long history, and its remnants are still everywhere and very visible, just as they are here in the U.S. Its no secret that anti-blackness and anti-indigenous racism still exists in Latin America and within the Hispanic populations at large, hard as we may try to sweep it all under the rug of brownish skin tones.

So the word negrita will always inevitably retain some of its original racial connotations because we just dont live in a post-racial world, and the semantics do matter. There is even a curious parallel here because just as some English words that were once slurs have been retaken and rightly appropriated by the Black community, so has the word negro/a taken different nuances in Spanish. At its core, the word negro/a means Black and it is an adjective that identifies a race, just as it is in English. But in Spanish, the word is also a noun. Historically, the noun form has been used as a pejorative, used to demean and dehumanize. And while that remains true, the noun has been slowly but surely taken back and repurposed.

Just go to any Latine house party and Joe Arroyos La Rebelin will undoubtedly be played a salsa by a Black Colombia singer that tells the story set in Cartagena sometime in the 17th century of a Black couple enslaved to a Spaniard who beats her. The song is truly ubiquitous in any Latine household whenever some dancing is involved, and Black Latine have since claimed it as an anthem of Black pride and identify, because this salsa is basically a draft of Django Unchained in song form (in case it wasnt apparent, the title of the song translates to The Rebellion). Same story with iconic Cuban singer Celia Cruzs La Negra Tiene Tumbao, which would loosely translate to the black woman has swag.

As exemplified by the above, the ever-shifting nature of language is also an integral part of this matter. As Spanish-speaking immigrants, our language is one of the purest vestiges of our culture that we get to keep (when its not being policed). So I must admit that when I first heard of this issue, my initial knee-jerk reaction was to say, But thats not what it means! Yall must be English-speaking Latine because you obviously dont know Spanish that well! And immediately after that, I thought, Wait so are they not allowed to call it out? Are they Latine enough or is that not even a thing?

Its not a thing.

But its worth mentioning because Lopezs own Latinidad has been questioned before as far back as when she played beloved late singer Selena. Lopez has been widely criticized for not speaking Spanish well enough. She may be Puerto Rican and claims those roots proudly, but she was born in New York after all, so her first language is English.

To what extent, then, can she claim the language and specially to use it within the deep cultural context in which the word negrita lives? I dont know that theres a specific barometer here or even if there should be one. Likewise, Christina Aguilera has not actively distanced herself from her Latine roots, but that didnt stop the criticism when she released a best-selling Spanish album even though she infamously doesnt speak the language; she even acknowledged that it may not sit well with some people. Aguilera recently returned to singing in Spanish, releasing a feminist-themed guaracha (a Cuban genre of music popular and beloved throughout the Caribbean) where she does sing with a marked accent. That Aguilera is a blue-eyed blonde doesnt mean she doesnt get to claim her Latinidadeven her last name is a dead giveaway. And for the record, iconic Mexican-American singer Selena didnt speak Spanish very well either.

So even if Lopezs lyrics were not meant to be offensive within the culture of Spanish speakers, it was at least tone deaf. In the music video, she even delivers the line while shes behind bars in a prison. In the end, it should all be about how we can better protect or unite with the most vulnerable. And it is important to maintain our cultural heritage, especially those that are so ingrained in us and prevailing like our language. But language evolves, as it should. We just have to evolve with it and either do away with some terms or be more mindful of the power that they still yield.

Author Bio:

Angelo Franco is Highbrow Magazines chief features writer.

For Highbrow Magazine

Image Sources:

--Ana Carolina Kley Vita (Flickr, Creative Commons)

--Rafael Amado Deras (Wikimedia, Creative Commons)

--DVSRoss (Wikimedia, Creative Commons)

----Anthony Quintano (Flickr, Creative Commons)

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Jennifer Lopez and Spanish Linguistics in the Age of Black Lives Matter - Highbrow Magazine

Teens contribute to Wall Therapy 2017

A trio of Rochester teen girls are showcasing the beauty in their differences in giant mural.

Shawn Dowd

A Black Lives Matter mural on Clarissa Street was defaced over the weekend with white supremacist graffiti.

Twenty-four hours later, the mural painted by Roc Paint Division alumnus Etana Browen, Nzinga Muhammad and Kaori-Mei Stephens was back to its original form.

More: Three teen girls, one big mural with a message

The painting a self-portrait of its three Black artists and part of WALL/THERAPY'S 2017 seasonvibrantly pops off an outerbrick wall at the Flying Squirrel Community Space.

"Rather than give any recognition to hate, we want to highlight the mural and celebrate its powerful message once again," WALL/THERAPY wrote on their Instagram page Sunday.

In a 2017 report by the Democrat & Chronicle, Muhammad explained the message of the art is Black lives matter and within that, there are several perspectives.

Muhammad is Muslim, Kaori-Mei Stephens and Etana Browne are Afro-Asian and Afro-Caribbean, respectively.

Browne stated in the article; the piece also says, "no matter what you are mixed with, you are black and you are part of Black Lives Matter, and your life does matter."

The three artists all issued statements in the aftermath of the vandalism and prompt restoration.

"Our mural is a tribute to the beauty of Blackness and the diversity within our community and diaspora," according to Muhammad's statement. "It also serves as an artistic protest against the very injustice, oppression and bigotry that the tagger chose to display. However, there is no need to put a mural up with this kind of purpose in a place where injustice is not happening. Regardless of the Black judges, mayors, teachers, and leaders, we have in this city, racism is a sickness that has not yet been healed.

Browne's statement notes: "Our mural in Corn Hill was the biggest message we could put in the city, to reassure and bring power to our people and to show we're always ready to fight back. For white supremacists to try and destroy and defile our art just shows the real issue in the world that we work so hard to overcome."

"The best memory I have while creating this mural is when a little girl walked by, pointed up and said, 'that looks like me,' Kaori-Mei Stephens wrote. "At that moment, I understood the power that art has to uplift and inspire, and I felt so proud to be part of this work. Learning about the hateful vandalism, I was saddened but not surprised. What they did could and has already been undone. But what they can never do is take away our hope, our pride or our joy. In fact, this ignorant act only gives us another opportunity to talk about and celebrate Black diversity.

The disturbing hate symbols sprayed over the mural promoted violence against both Black and Jewish people.

"I am a Jewish person, and I am here to call out this senseless act of violence against our community," Alana Bowen, an organizer with the Rochester chapter of Food Not Bombs, wrote in a statement.

Bowen, who got a chance to see the symbols of hate Saturday afternoon, said shewas deeply saddened by the damage.

"The Flying Squirrel is a gem in this community," Bowen wrote."It has been a support to so many justice-making movements here in the city of Rochester."

The parking lot of The Flying Squirrel was once home to Pythodd Jazz Room, a world-famous music venue for iconic jazz musicians. Urban renewal policies uprooted the club and many other Black-owned establishments on the strip.

The Flying Squirrel community condemned the defacement of the Black Lives Matter mural on its their building, which served as the last stop of a walking tour of Clarissa Street, which once was home to a thrivingAfrican American community. The tour is ledby community elders who experienced that time in historyand by youth leaders from Teen Empowerment.

The Flying Squirrel says itcanceled a news conference slated for that Saturday afternoon so the significance of the walking tour, which ended in the parking lot that same afternoon,would not be overshadowed.

"These actions will not deter the Flying Squirrel Community Space from providing space and resources to people engaging in activism that centers racial, economic and social justice in Rochester," The Flying Squirrel wrote in a statement.

There has been an eruption of anti-racist street art popping up across the country in the wake of George Floyd's murder, according to researchers conducted by the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Researchers believe it could be "the largest global explosion of street art addressing one single event or subject in history."

In Rochester, there were several examples of anti-racist street art, including Shawn Dunwoody's "Enough" mural painted on the side of what used to be the City Blue Imaging building, now gone due to a fire.

More: Artists from WNY, CNY have their work showcased at the Memorial Art Gallery

Urban Art Mapping created a database that documents examples of art from around the world that have emerged in the aftermath of Floyd's murder.

Nzinga Muhammad said shebelieves the mural has done its job despite offensive opposition.

"It took four years for cowardly individuals to come out and deface a symbol of resistance and power," Muhammad said in her statement. "Thank you for showing us how important our message is and how four years later, it still stands as a relevant artistic demonstration of anti-racism and unity."

Contact Robert Bellat: rlbell@gannett.com. Follow him onTwitter: @byrobbell & Instagram:@byrobbell

This coverage is only possible with support from our readers.

The rest is here:

'Racism is a sickness.' Mural in Rochester defaced by racist graffiti - Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

The prosecution has rested its case against the three men charged with murdering Ahmaud Arbery after presenting evidence it said shows that the defendants wrongly assumed that Arbery, a Black man, was the suspect of a crime in a mostly white southern Georgia neighbourhood.

Several witnesses testified on Tuesday, including Dr Edmund Donoghue, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation medical examiner, who said Arbery was hit by two of the three shotgun rounds fired at him.

Is there anything law enforcement or EMS could have done to save his life at the scene? prosecutor Linda Dunikoski asked the medical examiner.

I dont think so. No, Donoghue replied.

Arbery, who was 25,was running through a neighbourhood in Brunswick, a coastal community 480km (300 miles) southeast of Atlanta, on February 23, 2020.

Lawyers for the defendants Gregory McMichael, 65, his son Travis McMichael, 35, and neighbour William Roddie Bryan, 52 have argued that their clients were justified in chasing Arbery, who was Black, to enforce a citizens arrest.

A video showing the killing of Arbery leaked in early May of last year, sparking outrage and calls for justice that led to the arrests of the McMichaels and Bryan, who are white.

Arberys name was invoked during racial justice protests that rocked the country after the murder of George Floyd in late May of 2020 by a Minnesota police officer, whose killing was also recorded on video.

The video of Arberys final moments was played several times during court proceedings. It shows Travis McMichael shooting Arbery during a struggle. It was filmed by Bryan who had joined the McMichaels in their pursuit of Arbery and later told investigators he tried to use the truck to block Arberys path.

During the trial, prosecutors relied on the defendants statements to investigators, having witnesses read them out loud.

He was trapped like a rat, the elder McMichael told a detective hours after the deadly chase of Arbery. I think he was wanting to flee and he realized that, you know, he was not going to get away.

Local prosecutors had initially declined to charge the suspects in the Arbery case. Months later, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the probe after the video became public. The defendants were arrested and charged with murder.

Arbery had been seen entering a house under construction in the neighbourhood. The owner of the house says Arbery did not steal anything.

But the defendants said they followed him to stop him until the police arrived. At the time, Georgia had a law enabling citizens arrest; it was repealed after the killing of Arbery.

Defence lawyers say that the younger McMichael acted in self-defence when he shot Arbery, whom they say reached for McMichaels drawn shotgun.

Prosecutor Dunikoski has repeatedly said that the defendants acted based on assumptions when they went after Arbery without reasonable suspicion that he committed a crime.

They assumed that he must have committed some crime that day, Dunikoski said in her opening statement earlier this month.

He tried to run around their truck and get away from these strangers, total strangers, who had already told him that they would kill him. And then they killed him.

The trial is seen as the most high-profile test of racial justice since Derek Chauvin was convicted in June for the murder of Floyd. Eleven of the 12 jurors are white, though the judge has said potential Black jurors were dismissed for legitimate reasons unrelated to race.

Kevin Gough, a lawyer for Bryan, caused an outcry last week when he complained about the presence of civil rights leaders in the courtroom, saying we dont want any more Black pastors coming in here.

Gough argued that the presence of pastors who are not related to the family may improperly influence the jury.

On Monday, Judge Timothy Walmsley denounced Goughs remarks as reprehensible. He also rejected a request to have Reverend Jesse Jackson leave the courtroom.

Defence lawyers will continue to present their case to the jury in the coming days before closing arguments.

Read more:

Prosecution rests in US trial over Ahmaud Arberys killing - Aljazeera.com